TV

Bill Cosby is a free man, but prosecutors are asking the highest court in the land to review his case ... claiming he was never given immunity from a PA prosecutor in the Andrea Constand case.

According to new legal docs obtained by TMZ ... prosecutors in Pennsylvania are asking the U.S. Supreme Court to look at the PA Supreme Court's ruling which overturned Cosby's conviction -- leading to his immediate release from prison.

Remember, Cosby walked free back in June after serving more than 2 years of a 10-year sentence in his sexual assault case. The PA Supreme Court ruled the conviction was bogus because Cosby had relied on an agreement with a previous prosecutor to not criminally charge him when he was deposed in the Constand case.

In new docs, prosecutors are calling on the U.S. Supreme Court to right what they say is a "grievous wrong," arguing Cosby's overturned conviction is a slippery slope that could set a dangerous precedent.

They insist Cosby wasn't given lifetime immunity from prosecution just because the former prosecutor declined to criminally charge him at the time.

The appeal is a bit of a Hail Mary on behalf of prosecutors. The U.S. Supreme Court hears less than 1% of petitions, but there's still a chance ... however slim.

The reporter who botched an interview with Adele for not listening to her new album just made a mea culpa over his own airwaves ... and even described what we'll never see.

Aussie journo Matt Doran, of Channel 7's "Weekend Sunrise," ended one of his segments this week with a full-blown apology to both Adele, her Australian fans and his viewers at large ... over what he called a blown opportunity, all because he didn't properly peruse his inbox.

Doran reiterated what he'd already said this past week ... namely, that the reason he hadn't heard "30" prior to the sit-down is because he didn't check out a link Sony had emailed him in the 11th hour, which ended up being a preview of the album in full.

While they were chatting in early November -- well before it dropped -- Doran says he admitted to Adele he hadn't heard the full thing yet ... but clarified what happened after.

Unlike some reports that claim she abruptly left the interview upon hearing this -- apparently insulted by his lack of knowledge -- Doran insists the opposite happened ... according to him, they finished the interview, which he says ran over time, and that Adele was delightful.

He also recapped what exactly they'd discussed -- seeing how the interview will never see the light of the day, reportedly thanks to her label, which put the kibosh on it.

Sounds like they got into some heavy stuff, so it's a shame we'll never see it. Anyway ... here's hoping Adele can forgive him -- like he asks for here -- 'cause it seems MD has gotten well into the weeds of the album and then some since his blunder.

Alice Sebold's movie adaptation about her 1981 Syracuse rape has utterly fallen apart in the wake of the exoneration of the man she accused -- and one of the film's stars is out too.

Netflix's Victoria Pedretti -- who has a leading role in "You" -- is no longer associated with the project, "Lucky," which was set to depict the plot of Sebold's 1999 memoir of the same name ... this according to Variety. It's unclear who Pedretti was supposed to portray, but some are guessing it might've been the author herself.

In addition to losing Pedretti's acting talents ... the project has lost all of its financing, which had apparently been crumbling in the months leading up to Monday's incredible news.

The revelation ... the man Sebold pinned the rape on, Anthony Broadwater, was fully exonerated last week after one of the former EPs attached to the "Lucky" movie dug into the facts of the story ... this after having suspicions about the script and its source material.

Tim Mucciante actually left the project over what he perceived as holes in the story -- but not just that, he actually went out of his way to hire a PI and lawyers to delve even deeper ... and ultimately consult with the local D.A.'s office -- which agreed that the evidence was shoddy, and asked the court to vacate Broadwater's 1982 conviction this week.

Lo and behold, they did exactly that ... and the dude broke down in tears for what he called a travesty of justice that had besmirched his name (and his life) for decades now.

Here's the crazy thing ... the truth appears to have been hiding in plain sight. What put Broadwater away for over 15 years was Sebold's on-the-stand testimony that he'd raped her in '81, plus microscopic hair analysis which has since been debunked as illegitimate science.

Not just that, but even the process of ID'ing Broadwater as the guy was completely botched -- first, she says she saw an unidentified Black dude approach her in the streets months after her rape, and she felt that this person was her attacker at Syracuse University.

She notified the cops and they canvased the area, picking up Broadwater for fitting the general description. Sebold is said to have failed to pick him out of a lineup shortly thereafter -- zeroing in on another Black man -- but somehow, Broadwater became the prime suspect.

Once he was face to face with her in court that following year, she definitively said it was him ... and the rest is history. He was released from prison in '99, and has had a rough go since.

Dallas Jenkins says his show about Jesus isn't the same old, same old we've seen done time and again -- and as Christmas nears ... his latest installment might just be what everyone needs as we exit the pandemic.

We talked to the TV producer -- who's the EP of 'The Chosen,' which gives a modern take on Jesus' journeys -- and he tells us why he thinks his latest holiday special spinoff, 'Christmas with the Chosen: The Messengers,' is going to resonate with audiences.

First off, he acknowledges a lot of people have turned to religion during the pandemic -- plus everything else we've been through as a society over the past year-plus ... and his series is perfect for scooping those folks up and bringing them on an entertaining, spiritual journey.

As DJ explains ... he thinks the neat thing about Jesus, specifically, is that getting onboard with him is more about building a relationship and less about the institution of religion itself -- something that seems to come through on 'The Chosen,' which has been on since 2017.

Speaking of his show -- you might've heard about it ... it's very modern, in the sense that it plays like a comedy-drama from a major network -- and JC isn't portrayed as lily white stiff.

East Coast comedian and actor Tim Kazurinky was in his early 30s when his life changed forever after his work in Improv swung open the doors to a career as a writer and character on "Saturday Night Live" alongside comic greats like John Belushi, Joe Piscopo and even Eddie Murphy.

Shortly after his ride on the late-night sketch show ... Kazurinsky then landed the role as the nerdy up-and-coming copper Officer Carl Sweetchuck in the iconic funny franchise "Police Academy 2: Their First Assignment," "Police Academy 3: Back in Training" and "Police Academy 4: Citizens on Patrol."

Joy Behar has some advice for those struggling to share both their sexual orientation and political beliefs this year at Thanksgiving with the family ... just come out!

During Wednesday's episode of "The View" Whoopi Goldberg posed the question of the best way to avoid talking politics during this year's celebrations. While the cast believes politics might not be as controversial as year's before ... Behar had some other advice.

The host said, "Come out, just come out ... see what happens."

Not exactly sure what she meant, a confused Whoopi asked, "Come out ... of the door?"

But, Behar didn't mince words, saying, "Come out gay. Be yourself ... life is short." She continues, "Don't let anybody tell you what you have to be in this life."

While Joy's intentions were clearly positive, some certainly felt she missed just how difficult it can be for people to come out ... especially in non-accepting families.

One Twitter user wrote, "hey Joy I have a transgender son and am so proud of him however most parents are not like me some will resort to violence just because their child is gay so please don't tell people to come out just to see what happens that can be disastrous."

Another said, "It's incredibly dangerous to be telling people to come out to their families just to 'see what happens.' Many of our fellow community members face real threats to their lives if they come out to family."

The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade is back in all its glory, celebrating 95 years with floats, balloons, celebs and plenty of people in attendance.

The annual spectacle is happening right now in NYC, and you can see from pics, there was just about something for everybody in this year's installation. Spongebob, Baby Yoda and Boss Baby balloons towered over the crowd to thunderous applause.

Among the celebs performing in this year's parade were Kelly Rowland and Jon Batiste -- who has had an incredible week himself -- topping Grammy nominees with 11.

Of course, the always appreciated turkey float made an appearance as well as marching bands from across the country.

A vaccinated Big Bird and his buddy Elmo also sat atop a float for Sesame Street and had the younger fans in the crowd super excited.

Of course, 2021 marks the return of large crowds to the annual event. The parade still went down last year, but without droves of people lining the streets.

Tom Brady assiduously avoids caffeine, sugar, dairy, tomatoes, eggplant, even mushrooms ... but on Thanksgiving day ... f*** it!!!

Tom and Oprah had a chitchat, but this one was different because it was Tom mostly asking the questions. O jumped on Tom's SiriusXM show, "Let's Go," and it was only a matter of time before she took the reigns.

Oprah wanted to know what we were thinking ... what the hell does Tom eat on Turkey day ... given his aversion to food that causes inflammation.

Tom revealed Thanksgiving is his cheat day ... "That's the one meal where I'm just like, 'screw it, let's go for it."

The convo pivoted to retirement, and Tom seems to have that in his head. He told Oprah, "Thanksgiving, there's a lot to be thankful for, but you only get 4 hours to enjoy it. Practice usually ends at about 1 or 2. You eat about 3:30, then you're getting ready for the next day of practice.  Same with XMAS."

He went on ... "I'm looking forward to the time when I'm done playing football, so I can have those more normal holidays that I had growing up that were important where the family's all together."

The reality ... the 44-year-old QB is on a roll, with the Bucs Super Bowl Win this year. He's threatened to retire at 45, but sometimes threats are hollow.

Cedric the Entertainer is in Bill Maher's corner when it comes to cancel culture, as in he thinks it's gotten ridiculous.

We got Cedric out Wednesday in L.A., and asked about Dave Chappelle and Louis C.K. both getting Grammy noms, despite calls for their cancellation. Cedric is clearly pleased the folks over at the Grammys paid homage to both.

Cedric says things have gotten so out of hand it's unclear what people get canceled for, but he lays it on groups on social media ... all of whom think they embrace the truth with a capital T.

He never uses the word "mob," but that's certainly the sentiment as he talks about gaggles of outraged folks who band together on Twitter to zero in on their perceived enemies.

Cedric also seems to think the majority of folks have had it up to HERE with cancel culture.

Soledad O'Brien says there's a reason it's so difficult for a lot of missing persons cases to make the national news ... she says the woman has to be pretty, and they better be white.

The veteran TV journalist joined us on "TMZ Live" and we asked her why mainstream media outlets tend to cover cases like Gabby Petito and Natalee Holloway while ignoring stories involving minorities.

Soledad's a bit of an expert on the topic, and not just because of her background in cable news ... she produced a new docuseries on HBO, "Black and Missing," examining media bias as it relates to missing persons.

The way Soledad explains it ... the Petito case, which made headlines right when the docuseries debuted, is a perfect example of what many call "Missing White Woman Syndrome."

Soledad says media tend to run with missing persons stories involving pretty, white women because that's what they think will resonate with the audience ... and she rattles off countless examples.

Adam Trent is one of the best in the biz when it comes to the ol' abracadabra -- but he's just as magical when he gives his gift to others, which is what he's doing for a new TV special.

We spoke to the veteran magician about his new ABC special, "The Magic Maker," and it's all about him helping ordinary people wow loved ones with out-of-this-world feats that deceive the eyes.

Of course, Adam and the network had to figure out who exactly was deserving of getting crowned with an honorary magician's hat ... and he explains how that process worked.

Sounds like Adam and co. did, in fact, hone in on the best sorts of people -- everyone from children's doctors to firefighters and service members ... and even head over heels in love folks.

That last mention is a nod to what looks like an incredible stunt Adam was somehow able to pull off with a guy proposing to his GF ... leading up to it with a walk on water that seems way too real to believe.

That's just one of the many incredible magic tricks Adam teaches others ... and he did it live, on camera. The special was obviously pre-taped, but word is -- all the tricks were performed front and center without any assistance from video editing.

The holidays are upon us once again -- and after a 2020 pandemic twist ... we can look forward to the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade returning in force, and it looks like they're really bringing it this year.

A new fleet of floats and balloons was unveiled this week before they hit the streets of NYC Thursday -- and as you might imagine the attractions and balloons are pretty spectacular ... which was to be expected after having to exclude bystanders from last year's event.

Among the most eye-popping ... Disney's cruise ship, Kalahari Resorts & Conventions' elephant wave structure, a giant gator-infused edifice made to promote Louisiana, and others.

The balloons are a little more recognizable to the average pop culture consumer -- there's Ronald McDonald, Baby Yoda, Ada Twist and a gaggle of Pokemon who are going to be led down the path by rope-holders.

The rehearsal for tomorrow's big show went down at Herald Square -- and it seems like everyone is just about ready ... including singers and dancers, of which there are many.

Those who are grabbing a microphone to croon tunes include Andy Grammer, Kelly Rowland, Carrie Underwood, Jon Batiste, Chris Lane, Aespa, Jimmie Allen ... and several more.

They, too, were out there getting their pipes warmed up ... and while the rehearsal was going down -- people who were nearby posed for some pics as well, something they'll be able to do plenty of this year now that they can attend in person.

Ghislaine Maxwell seems to be full of secrets -- including what she knows about Jeffrey Epstein and his powerful pals, and one journo is hoping to unlock the mystery once and for all.

The British socialite -- who was tight with Epstein for years before he was charged anew in 2019, and subsequently killed himself -- is about to have her day in court over alleged sex trafficking, among other charges she's facing ... which will be decided at trial later this month.

Of course, many see Maxwell as the key to unlocking the long suspected malfeasance Epstein was conducting with underage girls -- and that goes doubly so for reporter Vicky Ward.

We talked to Vicky on "TMZ Live" about the "Chasing Ghislaine" documentary she's just released on Discovery+, and she tells us a lot of new information is uncovered through her investigation ... one she's been digging into and working on for over a decade now.

Something that's clear to Vicky about Epstein's alleged criminal acts is he clearly had a support system of influential allies spanning the entire globe. Many of those ties to powerful people have already been exposed -- but Vicky wonders how they could NOT have known what Epstein was doing.

She does not suggest any one of these men participated in anything unseemly themselves ... but in her eyes (and, frankly, the eyes of many) there's no reason they should've been as cozy with the guy ... especially knowing his sordid history.

Paris Hilton is finally done getting married -- and now, she's on a tear for the honeymoon ... which seems like it'll be just as long and extravagant, based on what we're seeing so far.

The hotel heiress and hubby Carter Reum made their first stop on what she's calling their Honeymoon World Tour ... and to kick off their romantic getaway, they flew in to Bora Bora -- and, naturally, posed for a lot of shots while there.

Check out their pics ... you see the happy couple living it up in the gorgeous blue waters of the island's lagoon and showing off tons of PDA.

There's more ... and by that, we mean additional vacation-goers who were tagging along. Wouldn't you know it -- a bunch of her family members also came down for the good time ... including her mom, Kathy, her dad, Rick, and even her brother and sister, plus others.

Everyone was enjoying the sunshine and the beautiful views, not to mention the local marine life -- looks like they went swimming with stingrays.

Considering this is just their first pit stop of the post-wedding excursion, ya gotta wonder where the tour's headed next ... and if the Hiltons at large will accompany them everywhere else they go.

Anyway, it's great to see Paris happily in love and finally hitched -- you'll recall ... her nuptials ended up being a multi-day extravaganza, and it sounds like her honeymoon will follow suit.

Jennifer Lopez was in bridal mode this weekend, and although it was probably more PR than where her heart is at the moment -- it had to get Ben Affleck's attention!!!

J Lo was one of several solo acts Sunday at the American Music Awards, and her wardrobe choice was interesting ... opting for a full-on wedding dress, complete with an elaborate veil.

She did a quick outfit change while singing "On My Way" from her new feature film, "Marry Me" -- which is all about her getting hitched to Owen Wilson -- so, the dress was clearly intended to plug the upcoming movie.

Still, it could be seen in another light ... especially considering how well things are going between her and Ben. They've been public for about 6 months now, and are never too far apart from each other for too long.

With that in mind -- you could totally see this bride's showcase as a hint to something more. And, when you consider what Jen told the Today Show just last week about the possibility of getting hitched again ... all the more reason to believe she's ready for marriage #4.

She told Carson Daly -- when asked about the prospect of walking down the aisle anew -- that she wouldn't rule it out, y'know ... seeing how she's a classic romantic and all.

Another person featured in 'Tiger King' has died -- only this time, by suicide ... one which happened right in front of a family member, so say cops.

Former reptile dealer Jeff Johnson -- who made a brief appearance in episode 4 of 2020's 'TK' docuseries to talk Carole Baskin -- shot and killed himself in September, and did so in the immediate presence of his wife ... this according to the Oklahoma City Police Department.

Per the incident report, obtained by TMZ, Johnson was arguing with his spouse in their garage on Sept. 8 -- while their children were home as well -- and at one point, the man brought a Glock-style handgun up to his head ... and pulled the trigger.

Johnson's wife called 911 for attempted suicide, and when officers arrived ... they say he still had a pulse and was rushed to a hospital. Unfortunately, Johnson was pronounced dead upon arrival.

The cops note Johnson's wife said her husband had not suffered from any mental illness and had not experienced any prior attempted suicide -- so it's unclear why he did this.

Like we said, Jeff's time on 'Tiger King' was short-lived ... but memorable in that he explained the beef between Joe Exotic and Carole. Interestingly enough, Jeff and Joe are also said to be one-time pals turned foes. Story goes ... Jeff and Joe were cool in the past -- as they both worked in the exotic animals world -- but had a falling out once Jeff Lowe came into the picture. At that point, Jeff bashed them early and often ... and vice versa.

There's a report that Jeff's home was actually burned down during this feuding -- but it's unclear if his beef with Joe and JL are in any way connected. Jeff Lowe tells us that he was in Las Vegas at the time and denies any involvement.

Jeff was 58.